EUTELSAT 3D will be initially located at 3 deg East to address high-growth video, data, telecom and broadband markets. It will serve customers in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia through a configuration of Ku and Ka transponders connected to three footprints. A fourth service area in the Ku-band will serve markets in sub-Saharan Africa. EUTELSAT 3D will operate at 3 deg East until the deployment of the EUTELSAT 3B satellite to this position in 2014 to provide spectrum growth and high levels of operational flexibility in C, Ku and Ka bands. It will subsequently continue service at 7 deg East. EUTELSAT 3D was built for Eutelsat by Thales Alenia Space using its established Spacebus 4000 platform. The satellite is designed to operate in orbit for 15 years.